AdWords 101: Key Features Part Deux

This blog is part two of our AdWords Features series. If you missed part one, you can find it here. In addition to negative keywords, keywords search reports and ad extensions, here are three more features you should know about for a successful AdWords campaign.

1. Ad Groups. What makes Google search so valuable? The results are always relevant to your search. The same standard applies to ads. In order to make sure ads show to the right users, relevancy is key. When structuring your account, it’s important to group ads and their relevant keywords into Ad Groups. Why? Because the more relevant your ad is, the more likely a searcher will click and, hopefully, convert. Conversely, if you group all of your keywords and ads into one large group, the chances of the right ad showing with the right keyword are significantly less and your click through rate (and conversions) will suffer.

2. Conversion tracking. Your ads are getting a lot of clicks and have a great click through rate, but what does that mean for your conversions? Whether you’re tracking checkouts, form submissions, or calls, using AdWords’ conversion tools will help you measure your ROI and even tell you which keywords and ads are triggering conversions.

3.Match types. In addition to negative keywords, there are four other match types you should be familiar with: broad, broad match modifier, phrase and exact.

• Broad, the default match type is, well, broad. By selecting broad match, your ads could show for broader variations of your keyword. The downside? Sometimes things get a little too broad, causing your ads to be served for keywords that aren’t highly relevant. Monitor your Search Terms Report to make sure your match type isn’t leading to irrelevant clicks.

• When using broad match modifier, ads will show with searches that contain the modified search term or close variations of the search term, regardless of order. To use a modifier, put a “+” by the keyword. For example, +men’s +shoes might trigger an ad for the search term “shoes for men.” However, this match type won’t trigger synonym keywords.

• In a phrase match, your ad will only appear if the keyword phrase appears together. If your keyword phrase is “puzzle books,” your ad could appear for “puzzle books for sale,” “buy puzzle books,” etc. This match type gives you a bit more control than broad match, as your keyword phrase must appear in the order you assigned.

• Exact match means an ad will only show when a user types in your keyword exactly the way it’s written on your keyword list. This is the most restrictive match type, meaning you’ll likely have fewer clicks and impressions. However, since it’s more specific, people who see your ads will be more likely to click.

Have questions about any of these features? Let us know in the comments.